OUT THERE: Tipping a few back for history, raising money for charity

Stone Angel Brewing co-owner Paul Clerkin (left) and Brazen Hall co-owner Kris Kopansky each maintain a hold on the Schlitz Light Cup outside of Brazen Hall in Winnipeg on Thurs., May 3, 2018. The two breweries will introduce a collaborative beer before engaging in a tug-of-war for the trophy on Sunday. Kevin King/Winnipeg Sun/Postmedia Network

This week is all about booze news you can use.

As such, it should say here not to drink and drive. And it would also be remiss not to mention the Winnipeg Wine Festival, which has three public tastings at the RBC Convention Centre this weekend, with 400-plus wines from 100-plus wineries from 12 countries.

But since the implied notion of this column is to highlight entertainment options at least a little off the beaten path, let’s take you back a little over 1,000 years to the Battle of Clontarf.

The sunrise to sunset battle near Dublin is said to have broken the power of the Vikings in Ireland, at the cost of up to 10,000 lives from both sides including the High King of Ireland, his son and his grandson.

A recreation in the form of a tug-of-war will be held Sunday in the back parking lot of Stone Angel Brewing, where staff will have their Irish heritage on proud display, against the Viking force from Brazen Hall Brewery, invading from further north along Pembina Highway.

“They cooked it up because they needed to take a swing at the Vikings,” said Brazen Hall co-owner Kristjan Kristjansson, whose name certainly sounds like that of a Norse god. “But they don’t know how thick our craniums are. We can take an axe. And them swinging at our heads, I think they’d hit us in the hip cuz they’re so short.”

The event celebrates a collaborative beer between the breweries — Brazen Angel, a Dunkel Kolsch — with a portion of each pint sold at Stone Angel earmarked for KidSport Winnipeg and, at Brazen Hall, Keeping Kenzi Close. Co-owner Kris Kopansky and his wife Corinne started the charity in support of the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba after losing their six-month-old daughter to acute appendicitis in 2015.

Pre-gaming starts at 2 p.m. at Stone Angel with the tug-of-war at 3, after which the teams will hop in the Brazen RV and head to the Hall for supper around 4.

“We’re going to have an honest argument, and we’re going to ridicule each other over some pints until the first man cries, then we’re going to walk out — eight against eight per team — and we’re going to light them up and rip them through town,” Kristjansson promised.

“Y’know, the Vikings weren’t renowned for their beer. And Kristjan didn’t want to do an Irish beer, despite their obvious superiority to Viking beer,” he said.

Clerkin said his side will fight with honour, but he’s wary of the Vikings having some tricks up their sleeves.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if his blokes all turn out to be Blue Bombers or something.”

Another battle features predominantly this weekend — the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, where the Mexican Army defeated the French empire.

Better known as Cinco de Mayo, if you weren’t quick enough to get a ticket to celebrate it Saturday at Torque Brewing on King Edward Street, with a concert, taco and beer package featuring prog rockers the Mariachi Ghost, BMC Market eats and a horchata porter brewed with cinnamon and vanilla, there’s always La Roca lounge on Smith Street, which will be holding a Cinco de Mayo event combined with its two-year anniversary celebration.

Or a day later but definitely not a dollar short, the VG restaurant inside the Fairmont Hotel is hosting a Tequila dinner on Seis de Mayo. The eight-course dinner crafted by executive chef Tim Palmer with help from outlets manager Stas Anikin matches a variety of refined tequilas with a primarily Latin-influenced menu featuring items such as charred octopus salad, scallop ceviche and duck confit enchiladas.

There’s a margarita, of course, along with tequilas finished in sherry casks and whiskey casks, an even a tequila liqueur featuring the essence of fine coffee with dessert.

“I think we wanted to focus on the palate itself. How can you work around such a powerful ingredient,” sous chef Richard Duncan said of pairing dishes with tequila. “Whether that’s through citrus, through acidity, through sweetness, through texture. You just kind of play with it and have some fun.

Duncan and Anikin said evenings like the tequila dinner and the Winnipeg Whiskey Festival it hosts each March are as much fun for staff as they are for clientele.

“We’re trying to have different events to bring people in and show them that it doesn’t have to be a special wedding anniversary or this big ordeal to come down to the VG.” Duncan said.

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